Learning to Become a Teacher While Being a Teacher: Narratives of Experience

• In Event: Saturday Roundtable Session 9:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Narratives of Experience in Teacher Education Programs (Table 26)

Abstract

Many teachers are faced with the challenge of learning to become a teacher while being a teacher; a new phenomenon stemming from teacher shortages across America (Nguyen, Lam, & Bruno, 2022). One-third of the current teaching force have emergency or substandard certification (Darling-Hammond, 2022); having neither a degree in education nor a teaching certificate. They live in the borderlands (Clandinin & Rosiek, 2006, 2019) between being qualified teachers and teacher candidates. This narrative inquiry explores the experiences of educators entering the profession while completing their education program. Themes reveal building community, seeking mentorship, learning what and how to teach, and navigating the profession. Findings lead teacher educators and teacher preparation programs to reflect on their methods to support teacher knowledge.

Authors

• Amy L. Boniface, Maricopa Community Colleges

• Patty J. Horn, Northern Arizona University

• Vicki Ross, Northern Arizona University